Cold Nights
by Pinkeminamae
Summary: Post manga universe. Its been roughly two years since the Promised day, and Alphonse has been in Xing for a few months studying under May Chang. AlMay One shot. More stories could be coming later.


**Hello. It's Pinkeminamae with another FMA story. As you can tell I am loving FMA at the moment, and I love the cannon pairings. This one is for all you Al-May fans out there. And for anyone who wants to comment on May's name spelling, I am going off of what Funimation has translated her name as in the anime. I hope you all enjoy this. Right now it is a one-shot, but I have so many ideas floating around my head that It could be formed into a story.**

**I don't own FMA.**

* * *

"That's right, keep your back straight," May told Al as he balanced on his palm. This was one of the many moves she had him practice every day in order to get his mind to focus. Detecting qi wasn't hard, but everyone she knew learned how to do it when they were children. Teaching adult was proving a challenge, but they were up for it.

"I am keeping it straight. It's my arm that is buckling. It hasn't been long enough for me to build up the strength to do something like this." As Al squinted in pain he fell over. May rushed over to him, making double time. She often forgot he wasn't as strong as he looked. His physical being was trapped for four years, and he had only been out for two. Even Lan Fan with her new arm was just healing completely, so she didn't know why she expected Al to be in perfect condition. Well, it probably had something to do with the fact that anytime he was around her, he never showed any sign of fatigue. It was like he was trying to be strong.

"Oh Al! I'm so sorry. I didn't think. Is your arm okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Aah!"

"What, what is it?"

"Ug, my arm. I can't move it. I think it might be dislocated."

May felt even worse. She could see where his arm was dangling lower on his shoulder than normal. Lucky for him, May was an Alkehestress tcould heal with her power. Unluckily for him, a dislocated shoulder couldn't be healed with Alkehestry, but only with simple twist and pop. May cringed at the thought of the pain she was about to cause him.

"Can you sit up?"

"Yeah May, why? Are you going to pop it back in?"

"Yep. Sit up and grit boy, this isn't going to be pretty."

Al sat up the best he could with just one arm, and bared his teeth for the pain. He was fully ready to take it when the softest touch came to his skin. He lost his concentration for the moment and looked at the black haired beauty standing over him. She had a contorted look on her face suggesting she didn't like what she was doing, almost as if it caused her pain. He watched as she braced her leg in the ground and wound her hand around his arm. He felt the heat of her arm around his, and his heart gave an audible thump. He couldn't take his eyes off of her. She was just so beautiful. Her eyes always held his and their depths were so much that he could get lost in them and die happily there assuming he never found his way out.

Even with the intense look of concentration on her features, she was still stunning. Her training gear always made him happy. She wore pants similar to his, cinched at the waist and baggy at the cavles, similar to Ling's when he traveled Amestris. The difference was that Al's pants were an off-white tan and May's were a purplish pink. Neither of them wore shoes, but there was one thing May's outfit had that Al's didn't. She had a band across her chest in the same color as her pants. The only thing it covered was her chest, and it left her midsection free to move with his in training. This sight never ceased to knock him out every morning when she came over. Now it was the only thing that kept him from screaming in pain. Actually, where was all the pain? He had been focusing on her for some time now, and his arm hadn't bothered him one bit.

"May, are you going to put it back? What are you waiting for?"

"What are you talking about, I did it already. You were really brave for not screaming, but you don't have to rub it in like you didn't feel it."

"Damn, I didn't feel it."

"What, that's impossible. You had to have felt it. Just what the hell were you thinking about? You had a very distant look on your face."

"Uh…"

"Uh, what?"

"Uh, I was thinking about brother. He used to go through his automail therapy without one scream because he didn't want me to hear. I guess I was trying to see if I could do it too."

"Oh. Well, the little alchemist must be one stubborn man. I have been there when Lan Fan gets her automail worked on. She doesn't scream either, but I can clearly see the pain in her face. Plus her qi always gives her away."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, when you know someone well enough, you can sense the qi in their bodies differently. Like with my family and friends, I can see when their qi is normal, and subsequently I can tell when something is different. Pain registers, as well as strong emotions."

"That's neat. Can you pick up on changes in my qi?"

"Well, uh, no. I can't."

"Oh. Okay."

"Now Al, don't look like that. It's not that you aren't my friend, it's just that I have only known your qi for a few months."

"What? I have known you for two years."

"Yes, but when you were in the armor you didn't have qi. Your bodily functions weren't there, and therefore you had nothing connecting you to the dragon's pulse. When you came back from the gate, I sensed it, but it was so faint I couldn't really pick it up. When you came from the train station was the first time I saw your qi. And man, it's strong."

"Strong?"

"Yeah. I don't know if anyone else had noticed, but your qi is extremely bright. Even without being tuned into your different patterns, I still could find you in a crowd. You shine, Al."

The news struck Al hard. He shined? How could that be? He spent two months in Xing before traveling up this mountain, and not once had anyone said anything about this strange qi.

"Is that why you sent me up here? So that no one would notice my qi?"

"Of course not silly! You know this is part of your Alkehestry training. Now recited this morning's lessons while I pack up."

Alphonse busied himself with his lessons while May got together her things and his old clothes. He had to stay on the mountain. Part of his survival training. Nothing new to Al though. If fact, he was sure to write Teacher and tell her about this experience. How his new teacher came to see and teach him every day. He was sure that she would call the teacher a few choice words for being soft, but Al didn't care. He would gladly take any lashing necessary if it meant seeing her.

* * *

"Ah crap." May cried as she packed the last of Al's clothes to take back to the village. She made sure he had clean clothes and food to eat while up here, which was against the rules. In order to train properly, you had to truly 'rough it.' But May hated the idea of Al going hungry, especially since his body was still not up to par. Plus there was that little phone call she received from another Elric threating her if she let anything happen to his little brother. Al had told his brother about the training in the mountain, and he was just as concerned as her about his physical wellbeing. Ed explained to her had they had survived as children just fine, so he was plenty experienced in survival. So she wasn't too worried that she was cheating a bit. As for his clothes, well, she kind of liked washing them for him. She couldn't tell why exactly, but it made her fell a bit closer to the boy. And she liked it immensely.

"Awe crap. It's going to rain." May noticed. She looked up in the sky as the clouds rolled it. She calculated how long it would take her to get down the mountain, and it seemed Al came to the same conclusion she did at the same time.

"You'll get caught in it if you try now. And it's pretty much dirt for the last part of the trail. You'll slip and fall if you go."

"Yeah, I was thinking the same thing. What do you think I should do?"

"Well that's an easy one. You can stay here tonight."

"Seriously?"

"Of course. What else can you do May? If you try to go down you could get hurt. And I'll worry about you. Then I will walk down and get caught in the mud. And then where will we be?"

"Okay, okay. I get the point. Here tonight. But we need a shelter. Last thing I need is for either of us to be sick. How about you go into the forest and get some sticks. I'll try to find a cave or something."

"Uh, May? Since we are breaking the rules, do you think I can break one more? It will be easier on the both of us, trust me."

"What are you talking about?"

Instead of answering Al just rolled his eyes. He gave May a smug grin as he clapped his hands together. A look of recognition flashed across her face as she realized what he was doing. He was using his Alchemy. But what for?

Al bent down towards the ground where his hands met it. He used the rock in the side of the mountain and under the soil to rise up a makeshift shelter. It was one room, but big enough to house the two of them comfortably. He would have put a bed in there, but he didn't have any material to make one. So he settled for sleeping bags made from the pillows and sheets May had been bringing him. He knew she wasn't supposed to, but he never complained. He liked that she was taking care of him in small ways.

"Al, tell me that you have not been using your Alchemy every night."

"No I haven't May. This is the first time. And I only did it because it is going to rain and you are here. Normally I would make my own shelter. Now, are you coming in, or would you rather get wet?"

May stepped into the shelter, glad for the protection from the rain. She went to start a fire when Al stopped her.

"Uh, I wouldn't do that. The smoke won't be able to escape from the window with the wind blowing. Here, I made these sleeping bags. Just get in one and cuddle up. It's going to be a long night if you hate rain."

"How can you tell?"

"Ed used to tell me all the time when it was going to rain. I got used to reading the weather patterns."

"Oh, well. I guess I should defer to your knowledge, Mr. Elric."

"You know, you're cute when you do that."

"Do you what?"

"Act like you're submitting to someone, when in fact you don't plan on submitting a thing. I guess the best word for it is sarcasm. That's it. You're cute when you are sarcastic."

"Well, thank you. And you are cute when you think you are in control."

"Ah, sarcasm again. Keep this up and you will be the most beautiful creature in all of Xing. Hell, even Amestris won't be able to find your equal."

May's eyes widened as he said this. She always wondered what it would be like if Al called her beautiful, and this was as close as he ever got. But she would take it. As long as the word and her description were together, she was on cloud nine.

"This is really comfortable. Thank you Al. I hope I can get some good sleep. I have a meeting in the capital in a few days, and if I show up with dark circles then Ling is going to wonder what is keeping me up at night. And then I will never hear the end of it."

"Never hear the end of what?"

"Nothing." May said quickly. "You know Ling. Annoying little pest. But don't you ever repeat that. His guard won't be very happy to hear him insulted like that."

"Ha, so I guess I should never invite Ed here. Can you imagine! Those two would be having rows at each other from the moment they saw one another. And then Ed would be locked up and Ling would leave him there laughing the whole time. Then I would have to come in a save him. Ug, yeah. I think Ed should stay out of Xing."

"Agreed. No Xing for Ed for some time. Are you ready so sleep?"

"Yeah, I'm beat. Getting your arm dislocated will do that to a man."

"Did I mention I was sorry for that?"

"Yeah, but it isn't your fault that I did that. I have to build up my muscles somehow. Now let's get some sleep. Five a.m. comes around really quick."

"Okay. Goodnight."

* * *

The night progressed slowly, mostly because the rain kept her awake. May didn't mind rain, but it was the fact she was in stone shelter on top of a mountain that worried her. Every clap of thunder seemed louder now that they were closer to the sky than normal. And the fact that she didn't have Shao May with her just made her more nervous. She had left the panda at home today, thinking she would be home in plenty of time to see her best friend. But no, as luck had it she was stuck up on the mountain with the golden blonde. He was sleeping peacefully, and she didn't want to wake him up just to tell him she was scared.

May started to shiver under her bed. She didn't think to bring a change of clothes with her, so she still had on her half tube top and cropped pants. Both articles of clothing were designed to be light for training, and therefore didn't do must against the wind and the cold. Al had pajamas he brought with him to stay warm. She looked at the long sleeves of his shirt with envy. He looked so warm. She could just imagine what it would be like to be snuggled up warm in this little hut. That's when the idea hit her.

May got up and headed over the other side of the hut. She knelt down and quickly undid the zipper on her destination. She quickly ruffled through when she found what she was looking for. She picked it up out of the bag and hugged it close to her body. It still smelled like him. Leaves and grass and metal, his unique blend that he could never wash away even if he tried. It was the shirt he had worn the night before. She could still see the wrinkles left in the sleeves as he slept with his arms across his chest. It was a simple white button down with a collar. It looked more like a dress shirt from Amerstris, and May assumed it was. He must be used to sleeping in his clothes, though she couldn't figure out why. It didn't matter right now anyway. She slipped her arms in the too long sleeves, very grateful from the instant warmth they provided. It was strange though that the shirt was so warm. It had been in the duffle all night. It should be cold. It actuality, it was cold when she grabbed it out of the bad. But as soon as she put it on she instantly warmed up, like the touch was causing her skin to heat. She went to fasten the buttons, but the shirt was much too big for her to do so. She resigned to just wrapping the ends around her body and went back over to her bed. With her newfound warmth she drifted off, dreaming of warmth.

* * *

Morning came all too soon for the young Alchemist. He yawned and stretched, and noticed that his arm came into contact with something. Upon further investigation he found that his hand had landed on his teacher, May. She was snuggled up a few feet away, a toothless smile wide across her face. She must have been dreaming something wonderful for her to be at such peace. This made Al smile in response as he got up to get ready for his training. He left to get some water for the both of them. When he got back May was stirring, ready to wake for the day.

"Hey sleepy head. Did you sleep good?"

"Ug. Not really. I didn't really get to sleep till midnight. The cold was horrible. I forgot how cold it got on a mountain at night in the rain."

Al felt horrible. He never thought about how May didn't have a change of clothes. She must have been frozen from the night. He was about to apologize when he suddenly couldn't breathe. May had stood up from her sleeping bag. It was apparent she had found a way to stay warm, and Alphonse nearly had a heart attack.

"May, is that my shirt?" Al stammered.

"Huh? Oh yeah. I'm sorry. I was really cold, so I found your nightshirt that I was going to clean."

Alphonse couldn't talk anymore. He watched as his shirt fell loosely around her body. She hadn't buttoned it so he could see her crop top underneath as well has her perfectly toned abs. Every movement she made the shirt made with her. It caressed her curves as she turned to get her hair ties. It pooled around her as she knelt on the ground to put her hair up. And it perfectly shaped itself to her as she wrapped it around her waist, signifying she was still cold. Al almost fainted right there as her outline came through the shirt. It just felt so good. Almost as if he was the one hugging those curves. Like his hands where on her arms, rubbing to keep her from the chill of the morning air. Al was very, very sure that this was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. May, groggy from the morning, wearing his shirt. He couldn't move.

"Al, are you okay? Hey, Al?"

Al snapped out of his revive, though he had to force himself to do so.

"Are you still cold, May?"

"Not really. Here, you can have your shirt back."

Al walked over to May as she was about to take off the clothing in question. He put his hand on her shoulder and gently slide the garment free from her arms. He made sure to touch every inch of her arm that he could without giving away his intentions. He just had to know what bliss this shirt had felt the night before. She was silky smooth, almost like his shirt. She was very warm too, almost sweating. He couldn't figure that one out. If she was so hot, why did she seem so reluctant to take off his shirt? He knew what he wanted the reason to be, but he surely doubted it. They had only been training for a few months. And their letters didn't seem to be leading to anything serious. But maybe he was reading the signs wrong? The only example of love he had seen firsthand was Ed and Winry, and it's not like they were the picture of a normal relationship.

He decided he was going to chance it. He just had to know. He turned the girl around, who was blushing something fierce. He put his hand to her cheek to see if her face was just as hot as her arms, and unsurprisingly it was. He smiled at the thought that his touch was the thing warming her up. Once he mustered up the courage he gripped her chin to bring it up to his. He smiled slightly as he brought his lips to hers. To his surprise she received his lips warmly, wrapping her own around his. It was soft and lingering, almost as if they were both too hesitant to let it go any farther and yet much to into it to let it end. He kept his hands in place, one her chin and the other on her arm. Her hands were by her sides, not moving in the slightest. The only thing that moved between them was their lips.

Al opened his eyes to catch a glimpse of what was going on, only to catch May doing the same thing. Al smiled on her lips and pulled away, but only enough so as he could hinge his forehead against hers. He continued smiling, and she grinned right back.

"Well, that was fun." He said.

"I agree. What brought that on?"

"Uh, well, it was the shirt to be honest."

"Huh? Your shirt?"

"Yeah. When I saw it on you I couldn't help myself. I was so jealous of the stupid thing that I had to get my chance."

"I hear jealously can make a man do some unthinkable things."

"Yeah. And also, well, it was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen."

"What did you just say?"

"I said you are beautiful, May Chang."

May was swimming. She wanted so bad to hear those words from him. She had dreamed of the situations in which he would confess this to her, and they all paled in comparison to the real thing.

"Thank you Alphonse. This is the best presents I have ever gotten."

"Present?"

"Yeah. I guess I didn't tell you. My birthday is today."

"May Chang! If I would have known I could have planned something for you. Are you having a party at your home today?"

"No, that is not how we celebrate. Just simple family affairs around here. I get treated a little better than normal, everyone tells me happy birthday. I get a present from my father, usually some new make-up. But I will tell you this, hearing that you think I am pretty is better than all the gold Xing has to offer."

"I never said you were pretty."

"What?"

"Pretty isn't strong enough. Beautiful is closer, but it still doesn't properly describe you. And anyway, happy birthday."

"Thank you Al. I will never forget this birthday, ever."


End file.
